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Some excellent visuals there by A-1 Pictures. Modern animation seems to be just getting better and better lately and it's becoming incredibly difficult to label a studio as having the "best visuals".

thats very true, studios loke shaft have shown some great improvement lately, but studios have ther ups and downs, like how sunrise have me amazed with the animation of their past 2 productions and then i remember, they did freaking Cowboy Bebop, hell yeah they can do great animation.

anyway A-1 isnt know for the best visuals, but it sure has a very fluid animation, wich i think would be great for this kind of series.

You can describe A-1 as "mercenaries studio" because if they want to they have all access to hire the best and talented freelance animator available (like what they do with Idolm@ster anime with that all of that ex-Gainax) because their relation as subsidiaries of aniplex, and staff/animator recruting is one of the most important aspect to make good-looking show (maybe its even more important than being "good studio" itself.)

Hence that's why most of their show lately is on "safe" side, because they have that power to assemble solid production group in project that they want to strike.

But albeit they do relying on freelance hiring, they do have good staff in their own circle like Shingo Adachi (anime chara designer and Chief animation director of this show)

edit: also they upped an "Interview with the director" on the Special page. somebody translate pls. :3

I think for me the most important thing is that apparently Kawahara attended all the script meetings (except when he got a cold). He gave the staff a lot of the background info that's not presented in the book (including naming all the beginner equips that Kirito had when he first login). I think this is always a great sign that the author collaborates closely with the production staff for an adaptation.

I'm really curious on what the bonus materials would be for the anime. I mean Kawahara's writing a new book for AW and JC's animating the 4komas. I would kill to see the SAO 4komas animated as they're insanely hilarious.

.... nearly two pages and no one has mentioned the one thing I know certain people are looking forward to...

Animating CHAPTER 16.5

*is SHOT*

Even as just a DVD special please-

*is SHOT AGAIN*

*is shot too*

The preview looked great and I loved the music in the background. It has a really adventurous feel too it. But what was with the rainbow (?) surroundings when the trailer was showing a boss fight, I'm guessing? For some reason, I always pictured the labyrinths without ceilings, and are instead, just open.